Sensory Physiology

Question 1

parts of Central Nervous System (C.N.S.)

Answer 1

brain and spinal cord

Question 2

parts of Peripheral Nervous System (P.N.S.)

Answer 2

spinal, cranial, and peripheral nerves

Question 3

what are nerves?

Answer 3

bundles of neurons

Question 4

what does sensory physiology have to do with?

Answer 4

perception of sensation

Question 5

what is needed for perception?

Answer 5

1. the presence of a physical signal/stimulus

2. transduction

Question 6

what is transduction and what does it use?

Answer 6

converting signal energy to chemical energy by using graded potentials and action potentials

Question 7

5 types of receptors and functions?

Answer 7

1. Mechanoreceptors: change in motion, force, and pressure
2. Thermoreceptors: change in temperature
3. Osmoreceptors: monitor osmotic gradients
4. Chemoreceptors: detect chemicals
5. Nociceptors: pain receptors; when cells are damaged; (broadest category of receptors)

Question 8

2 ways to describe receptors and what do they mean?

Answer 8

1. Tonic: slow adapting- maintain relatively constant “tone” (frequency) of action potentials
2. Phasic: fast adapting, action potential frequency changes over time

Question 9

types of tonic receptors?

Answer 9

1. muscle spindle fibers: stretch, change in length (proprioreceptor)
2. golgi tendon organs: stress, change in force (proprioreceptor)
3. photoreceptors

Question 10

medium adapting receptors?

Answer 10

(more phasic than tonic)

1. chemoreceptors: change in taste
2. hearing

Question 11

fast adapting receptors?

Answer 11

1. Pacinian Corpuscles: deep touch receptors (deeper in skin)
2. Meiseners Corpuscles: light touch receptors (more on surface of skin)
3. Chemoreceptors: Olfactory

Question 12

what are special senses and what do they do?

Answer 12

specialized organs that 1. support tissues and structures and 2. are basic sensory recptors

Question 13

5 special senses?

Answer 13

1. taste
2. olfaction (smell)
3. vision
4. hearing
5. equilibrium

Question 14

what is the pathway that sound goes through from external to inner ear?

Answer 14

external ear –> external auditory canal –> tympanic membrane –> middle ear: malleus, incus, stapes –> oval window –> inner ear: chochlea

Question 15

movement of ear parts when there is sound?

Answer 15

1. movement of air
2. movement of tympanic membrane
3. movement of bones (auditory ossicles)
4. movement of cochlea

Question 16

parts of the cochlea?

Answer 16

1. scala vestibuli
2. scala tympani
3. cochlear duct

Question 17

short fibers are sensitive to what kind of frequencies?

Answer 17

high frequencies, high pitched sounds

Question 18

long fibers are sensitive to what kind of frequencies?

Answer 18

low frequencies, low pitched sounds

Question 19

what is pitch associated with?

Answer 19

fiber length

Question 20

what is amplitude associated with?

Answer 20

the number of fibers that are stimulated